


Villains Can Win, Too!

by MaskofCognito



Series: Heroes and Villains [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Enemies to Lovers, F-bombs everywhere, Happy Ending, M/M, Ridiculously Cheesy, Secret Identity, Superheroes, Superpowers, Supervillains, explicit sex scene, lots of cussing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-24 23:44:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20022991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaskofCognito/pseuds/MaskofCognito
Summary: When a villain and a superhero have the same best friend, they find keeping the secret and peace around him to be rather difficult. Their best friend, however, knows more than he lets on and tries his best to relieve the tension between them. His original attempts to get them on friendly terms might go south, but he might just have one way to keep them from fighting.Original Work to spawn other fics like this in my Heroes to Villains series.





	1. Bank-splotion

**Author's Note:**

> A group of friends ([destimushi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/destimushi), [halzbarry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halzbarry), [icarusinflight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icarusinflight), and [osirisapollo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OsirisApollo)) and I decided to try and write 1k a month based on a theme. We weren't sure what the first theme should be until stumbling across [this tumblr post](https://crxstalcas.tumblr.com/post/186173431461/blkpanther462-power-bottom-keith). 
> 
> I definitely went over my 1k limit, but I had an idea and ran with it. I tried out a new writing technique by working with only dialogue first, and I think that went over extremely well. Since I'm about to go on vacation and none of the others have finished theirs yet, I decided to self edit. So if you see obvious glaring mistakes, please point them out and I will fix them when I'm next able.
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy my original.

9:38 AM June 23rd, 2019

_BOOOSHHHHHHHH_. The aftershock rings in the ears of everyone around. People in the street stand motionless and stare until one or two rise up and start a commotion. A few people get out their phones and chatter starts to fill the void of silence.

Daniel stands at the busted opening of a brick building, chunks falling behind him in a failed attempt to stay connected to the main structure.

He yells excitedly. “Haha! I did it.” Smoke billows out, and the man’s clothes are singed— a red and black spandex suit. He wears a black mask that obscures the optical and nasal regions of his face, and his silver plated skin quickly morphs back to a fleshy tan.

Daniel hits a button on his key FOB, unlocking an unmarked white van (because villains) and hurrying to load it with the multiple duffel bags slung across his body. A familiar voice rings out behind him.

“Not so fast, villain!” The tone is just as ostentatious as one might have read in a comic book or seen in one of those cheesy Batman TV shows.

Daniel pauses for a moment, grimacing, before groaning out, “ugh. Peacebringer.” He rolls his eyes before turning around.

“Material Morpher!” Peacebringer exclaims at him as if he didn’t know what everyone in the news called him. That’s not what the damn M on his suit was for!

“I’d appreciate if you stopped calling me that ridiculous name! I go by Mutate,” he growls.

“Like that’s any better.” This idiot in his blue suit with a hippie peace sign in rainbow colors knew how to push all his buttons.

“Of course it is, you dumbass. Where the fuck did Peacebringer come from, anyway?”

“None of your business. That’s— That’s not the point here.”

“Yeah, just like what I’m doing is none of your business.” Daniel wills his body to change, mutating into iron and picking up a tow truck parked next to his van. _Because it’ll be funny when one tow truck tows another. Heh._

“Shit!” Peacebringer dodges out of the way only just in time, but he mistakenly looks back to make sure no one was injured from the large projectile. 

Daniel makes use of the small distraction and shuts the doors of the van with him inside. He climbs to the front of the vehicle and quickly turns the key. It starts smoothly and before he looks back, he's tearing out into the street with Peacebringer in his rear view mirror chasing after him.

“HAHA! Too bad your power isn’t super speed, Peacebringer!” Daniel yells loudly, hand out the window, flicking him off.

* * *

11:52 AM June 23rd, 2019

> **Cisco-hermano:** Meet @ Minackers in 10?
> 
> **Daniel:** _Sure_
> 
> **Daniel:** _Gimme 10-20_  
>  11:53 AM via Google Fi

“Hey, man!” Cisco was sitting in their usual spot in the restaurant’s outdoor patio area. 

“How’s it going, Cisco?” Once behind the gate, Daniel walks up to him and gives his best friend a quick hand-slap-fist-bump-side-hug.

“Not too shabby. I finally got my fucking paper written for dissertation.” Cisco’s all smiles as he scratches through his thick beard and they sit down. He’s already ordered some bacon cheese fries. Daniel waves his hand at a waitress and points toward the beer Cisco takes a draw from, and she nods.

Looking back at Cisco, Daniel shakes his head. “Still can’t believe your ass is going for a doctorate.”

Cisco pushes the sleeves of his blue-gray Henley up showing off ornate tattoos that are absolute works of art. “You could always go back, you know. School was your strong suit.”

“Nah,” Daniel shakes his head again and pops a fry in his mouth just as the waitress comes back with his draft beer. He takes a deep drink and wipes the foam from his beard before continuing. “I’ve found I quite enjoy my job. Keeps me on my feet. Something new everyday.”

“Right. Is that really true?” Cisco laughs. “Car sales?”

“Haha, right. Yeah.” Daniel pops a few more fries in his mouth, looking over the menu trying to decide if he wanted to order a new item or stick with a favorite. “Well, never know who you’re gonna meet. Besides, everyone needs to get around.”

“Hey Cisco!” Daniel hears behind him and he automatically stifles a groan. _Him, again?_

“Hey, Conrad! OH! Looking spiffy. What’s got you all dressed up?”

A quick look toward the new addition, Conrad is clad in slacks and a button down long sleeve shirt. Tie and everything. 

Conrad glances down with a frown and dusts off his clothes in a few areas. “Well,” he glares at Daniel while replying to Cisco, “I was applying for a loan.”

“Oh, what for?” Cisco asks.

Looking sheepishly down at his feet as he pulls up a chair, Conrad replies, “I was going to try and open up a hobby workshop. Had a plan laid out and everything.”

“Doesn’t sound like it went over very well. What happened?”

Conrad looks directly at Daniel again, Daniel staring back at him as he says, “Well, the bank was robbed and I got a truck thrown at my head.”

“Holy shit! What, just now? You were in the middle of Peacebringer and Material Morpher’s fight that was all over Youtube? Dude! You should have lead with that news!” Cisco is excitedly looking between the two. 

The waitress reappears and Conrad asks for his own beer and orders his regular meal. Daniel waves her over and orders the new special, watching out of the corner of his eye as Conrad grimaces. “Eh… it… I’m okay, now, though. But I didn’t get the loan, I guess.”

Daniel sighs while twiddling with the wrapper that is taped around his silverware. “Well, who’d even want to go to a hobby workshop, anyway?” He doesn't like to stay on the topic of supers around Cisco, so he's quick to change the subject. He grabs a few more fries and stuffs them in his mouth.

“I dunno,” Conrad starts, trying to be sarcastic and only coming across as mildly annoyed. “Maybe people who want to complete DIY projects but have neither the equipment, money to buy their own, space to keep it, or ability to use it.”

“Hey, now. We can be civil, can’t we?” Cisco raises his hands and gestures at the two of them, placatingly. 

Daniel notices Conrad look away from him and cross his arms. Daniel does the same to get the point across to Cisco they did not care for each other’s company. Not one bit.

“Alright,” Cisco chides. “Conrad, why don’t you tell me more about that story. Not the one about your workshop. The one where you were in the middle of a superhero fight.”

Daniel scowls, ”Why can’t they be called a super-villain fights? Aren’t villains the reason why heroes exist in the first place?”

“Why can’t you shut up?” Conrad snides.


	2. Truce?

6:12 PM June 23rd, 2019

> **Cisco-hombre:** B gr8 if u 2 cld get along
> 
> **Daniel: ** _As if_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** At lst not @ ea others throats?
> 
> ** Daniel: ** _U wish_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** Dude  
>  **Cisco-hombre:** U 2 have alot in common
> 
> **Daniel:** _Dont care_  
>  6:33 PM via Google Fi

* * *

12:13 PM June 29th, 2019

  
Daniel sees Cisco on the way to their usual hangout, Minackers, and walks with him.

“Don’t you like to build things?” Cisco starts, picking a table outside and settling in.

”Haven’t built anything in years.” Daniel says offhandedly before narrowing his eyes as he takes a seat. “What’s this about?”

“Just wondering. You’ve not done any woodworking in so long… why?” Their usual waitress waves at them, signaling she will be by in a moment.

”Because I don’t have the space, nor the tools anymore. What’s your point?”

Cisco slaps a hand on the table, and it startles Daniel. “Daniel! How are you this dense. Conrad’s workshop?”

He glares back. “What about it?”

“You were dissing it like it was an awful idea when you are the exact type of person who would probably frequent it if it wasn’t 'Conrad’s plan.'” Cisco uses air quotes. 

The waitress takes Cisco's order for them both as Daniel looks off into the distance with his chin in his hands. He _doesn’t_ pout as he mumbles, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The waitress leaves with their orders and Cisco’s attention turns back to Daniel. He seems to wait for Daniel to look at him. Daniel does not.

This always irritates Cisco. “So… urgh. AHHHHH! I see exactly why you two get into so many fights now. It’s all your fault, I’m sure.”

”Excuse me?” Daniel cocks a brow and turns his head toward Cisco.

“All you do is pick on him. It’s not even subtle, anymore.” Cisco fiddles with a straw wrapping. Waters were placed before them moments ago while Daniel wasn’t paying attention. “Before, I thought maybe you two just didn’t have anything in common besides being friends with me. Now, I know better. But instead of getting to know him, you just automatically don’t like him—or something—for a very strange reason. And I’m not sure what that reason is, but you always feel the need to nitpick everything he has to say.”

Cisco looks up at Daniel. Daniel is surprised by the outburst, but he supposes it was only a matter of time.

Still doesn’t mean he wants to admit it. “I do not.”

“You do. And I’m pretty damn sure that if you put that shit to the side, you and him would get along. Probably better than we do.”

Producing a mock gasp, Daniel holds a hand to his chest and speaks in a sardonic tone. “What are you saying, Cisco? We are brothers. Brothers. Born and raised together. Bound by time, experience.”

Cisco smirks. “We are brothers, best friends. But when I met Conrad and brought you two together, it was my hope that we’d all be as close. Have guys night. Hang out at the bars, look at the ladies. You know, guy stuff.”

“Right. Watch football on Sundays, fart, and scream at a television screen.” Daniel mocks, monotone. “Wow. That sounds like so much fun.”

Shaking his head, Cisco grins. “You don’t have to be there for things you don’t like, asshole.”

“No. But you like it when I am, dork.”

Cisco nods. “You’re right. But, see, that’s why it’s good to have other friends, too. I got some buddies at work that enjoy that shit. I’m probably going over to one of their houses this year for the Superbowl. But you need a friend besides just me.”

“I have friends,” scoffs Daniel.

Staring him in the eyes, challenging, Cisco commands, “name one.”

“You.”

“Name one. Not me, obviously.”

“Point. Friend. Singular.” Daniel just wants the conversation to come to an end. He enjoys his time with Cisco, but not when it’s all subjected around Conrad. He misses the old days when Peacebringer wasn’t a part of the equation.

“So, I win? You hang out with Conrad for one day. And for Christ’s sake, don’t make him angry. If I hear that you do, I’ll come after you at work, you hear me?”

Daniel feels his eyes widen just marginally. _Shit. No. Not at work._ He quickly schools his expression. “Yeah, yeah. I hear you. Loud and clear.”

* * *

  
7:49 PM June 29th, 2019

> ** Daniel: ** _Hey. Peacebringer. I’m told we need to raise the white flags for one day…_

_No… erase. Backspace._

> **Daniel :** _Noon. Central Park. BYOB._
> 
> **Asshole-bringer:** Public intoxication is illegal, Daniel.
> 
> ** Daniel:** _Fine. 12 central park._
> 
> **Asshole-bringer:** Cisco get to you, too?  
>  _8:03 PM via Google Fi_

Daniel doesn’t reply.

* * *

12:17 PM June 30th, 2019

“What took you so long?” Conrad is sitting on one of the old cast-iron benches.

“Dude, what the fuck you doing?” Daniel gestures at Conrad, scaring off the birds. “Throwing bread for the pigeons like an old lady? What the hell’s wrong with you?”

Conrad rolls his eyes. “I knew this was a bad idea.” He moves to stand and Daniel crowds him, forcing him back down.

“No. Wait…” He takes a deep breath. “I was told to be nice.”

Conrad’s face twists. “I don’t need you to be nice to me because you were told to. Or more likely blackmailed. How Cisco do that, anyway? I’d love to know.”

Daniel sits next to him. “Why?”

Conrad just shrugs. “I’ve been trying to get you to stop being a villain since… well, since we first fought. But even I have no idea what your weakness is. I mean… besides Cisco, apparently. But I’m the good guy. I wouldn't use him against you.”

“Hah. Well, even this bad guy wouldn't. Cisco’s good people.”

“Yeah…” Conrad throws more bread. After a few minutes of silence, the pigeons start to return, no longer feeling threatened by Daniel.

“Hey. So… Your workshop idea-”

“Yeah, I know. It’s stupid.” He throws the next piece of stale bread a little harder.

“No!” Daniel's hands raise in defense. The pigeons thin out a bit. “No, it isn’t. I was just being an ass. I… I— uh— like to work with my hands. But it’s been a long time.” He stares at his palms after laying them back in his lap.

Daniel can feel Conrad’s eyes on him. “Yeah. I do, too. I was hoping it would also help me find like-minded people.”

Daniel snorts. “What? You mean you can’t find friends? Heh. Seems unlikely.”

“Yeah, well… when you are an introvert and not much of a talker to strangers, it’s kind of hard to find people with common interests to be your friend.”

“Doesn’t seem so hard for your alter-persona, huh?” Daniel glances toward the man sitting next to him.

“That’s different. When I’m…” A jogger runs past them and scares off all the birds. Conrad mumbles the next bit, “Peacebringer,” and returns to his normal volume, “I have more confidence. I don’t have to worry about who does or doesn’t like me. I just… I can concentrate on what’s right and what’s wrong. You know?”

“So what happens when a civilian gets caught in the crossfire, huh?”

“That’s… uh… That’s the part that troubles me most.” He looks back to Daniel, face contorted into… some sort of emotion Daniel couldn't make out. “Shit. I mean… gotta do… what’s best for the masses, right?”

Conrad laughs nervously and continues, each word punctuated with surety and a fist pump. “Greater good? Utilitarianism? Yeah.”

Daniel cackles. “Liar.”

Conrad gives him a nervous look. _Worried I know your weakness now, huh?_

“I guess you’re not so bad,” Daniel says and slaps Conrad on the thigh a few times as he’s getting up to leave.

“Wha—“

Daniel gives him a two-fingered salute-wave and offers a, “see ya later, PB!”


	3. Free-Fall

3:27 PM July 4th, 2019

> **Cisco-hombre:** Mine @ 6
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** BYOB
> 
> **Daniel:** _Gun b l8_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** U2?! What’s the deal
> 
> **Daniel:** _Work runin behind_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** Whatever  
>  3:53 PM via Google Fi

Daniel puts his phone away after making sure to turn it off. He's got his spandex suit underneath army fatigues, his mask stored in one of the pockets. He peers over the edge of some cargo as he’s watching two men load up a rather conspicuous crate labeled ‘TOP SECRET.’ _Jackpot._ _Why do they seem to make it so easy on me? Seriously, someone in head office must be an imbecile._

After all the guards, personnel, and cargo is loaded (and Daniel has snuck about the giant plane’s outrageously sized wheels for cover), Daniel creeps around to the back entrance of the plane and slinks to the corner while two guards are busy yapping away about their kids' latest antics. He scans for a hiding spot.

 _Under the ATVs._ Daniel straightens his back and walks tall while the guards are distracted. Nobody pays him mind so long as he looks like he belongs.

He checks to make sure no one is paying him mind before he dips down and shimmies underneath the center vehicle. He stays there, lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to lurk about.

Daniel waits until after take-off, using the turbulence as a shield to skulk about. He keeps to the walls and is grateful for the cargo's placement between him and the guards, using a few minutes to shed his his disguise and tie his mask into place.

“Huh? What’s that?” One of them asks another as Daniel dashes past a clearing.

“What are you talking about?” 

“I thought I heard something.”

“Nah. It’s just the plane. The turbulence makes a lot of noise.”

“Right,” the first man doesn’t seem as convinced.

 _I see it_. Peeping through the hole between some crates, Daniel spots the overt box labeled with his prize. He grins, watching the guards around the area. _Should be easy enough to take them down._ He reaches for his taser. _Just pick them off, one by one, while the others are looking away_.

“Here goes.” Moving in a crouch, he rounds the corner only to be yanked back into his hiding spot. A surprised squeaking sounds comes from somewhere, but it definitely does not come from him. Nope.

“Oh no you don’t,” a voice he would recognize anywhere pipes up, low.

“Fucking fuck!” Daniel uses his whisper voice to yell at the blue-clad numbskull. “Jesus, Con— Peacebringer. Could you not sneak up on a guy like that?”

“I could ask the same of you!” Conrad is whisper-yelling back at him. “Could you maybe stop the whole villain act? The jest is up. You can’t hide from me that you’re not actually a bad guy.”

“Hah! That’s where you’re wrong, little man.” Daniel grins at him.

Conrad’s face pinches under his white eye mask. “Wha— you’re shorter than me!”

Daniel crosses his arms. “It’s a goddamn expression! Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he brushes Conrad away and jumps over the crates, the guards already on alert. He’ll take them down anyway, so it doesn't much matter.

“Oh no you don’t!” Conrad yanks him back again, and Daniel is beginning to wonder if he should fix his costume to cover his head so that he no longer has an easy to access collar. But that would mess up his hair and he refuses the idea with a shake of his head.

“Shove off!” Daniel swats loudly at the hand behind him irritated, but it’s ineffective.

“Hey! Hey, you two!” The guards placed around the ‘TOP SECRET’ crate are all pointing guns toward him. Well, _them_ , he corrects. Daniel knew the guards were already on alert from their voices, but he wanted to be on the move and not a stationary target.

“Shit, man! You gave me away.” Scowling, Daniel hangs his head, still being held back by a design flaw in his spandex attire.

“It’s okay, guards. I have this handled.” Conrad’s voice changes, expending the bravado of everything Peacebringer.

“How the hell did you two get on this plane?” One of the guards ask, baffled.

“How do you think, smartass?” Crossing his arms, Daniel jeers. “It’s not like I can fucking fly. Of course I snuck on.”

Conrad simply replies, “I gotta a call from Lt. Commander Porter.”

Daniel whips his head around to try and look at him. “Porter? Our Porter? Cisco’s fucking brother, Porter?”

Peacebringer only nods.

“Aw, shit!” _Fuck. Never meant to involve Cisco or his family in anything I do._

“Don’t worry, gentleman, I’ve got the rest of this handled,” Peacebringer announces as he yanks. But Daniel refuses to just go with him.

He attempts to sit cross-legged while still being held up in the air and turns his skin to a heavy steel. The plane’s altitude drops a little at the added weight and catches everyone off balance for a moment.

“Oh, come on! You cheat.” Conrad’s normal voice returns as he whines.

Daniel’s voice goes up in pitch a notch. “It’s not cheating for a villain to use their powers.” He clears his throat after hearing the change and can feel his face flush a bit at the outburst.

Conrad pokes his back with his free hand and growls in his ear. “It’s cheating when they are using them to fucking pout.” The low tone shoots through Daniel in a way he was neither expecting nor happy about.

“What the hell are they doing?” One of the guards ask, everyone still pointing guns toward them. They seem unsure about what their orders are.

“No idea. Seems like… are they bickering?” Another laughs.

Daniel ignores them to reply snidely to Conrad. “Wha’cha gonna do about it, huh?”

“Just this.” Peacebringer presses into his own arms, back, and legs in specific spots with his free hand. He breathes out and dips his legs down before lifting Daniel’s hefty-metal weight easily in the air.

“Wha— What the fuck are you doing?” Daniel is taken off guard and he throws his limbs out, above Conrad’s head. He flails them about trying to unbalance the Peacebringer to put him the fuck down.

“I’m taking your stubborn ass out. You want to be difficult? I’ll show you difficult,” Conrad says. “Guards, open the hatch, please.”

“Uh… sure. Uhm, you're not just going to toss him out, right?” One of the guards asks and he lowers his gun and flicks a toggle switch near him. The hatch past the ATVs starts to open.

_Are these guys really fucking morons? Don't open the fucking hatch while asking a question like that!_

“That’s exactly the plan.” Peacebringer’s confidence is back as he stalks to the opened hatch.

Daniel's face pales. “No parachute?” His voice is definitely higher while questioning. “Seriously!? Oh my god! You’re a real fucking piece of work, you asshole! How could you do something like this? I thought you were the fucking hero! You’re not supposed to harm anyone.”

“No one has ever said that. It’s only assumed in comic books and happens all the time in real life,” Conrad bites back.

“Fuck you, man!” Peacebringer lops Daniel over the edge of the plane, finally letting go of his collar. But Daniel is having none of it and immediately grabs at Conrad, dragging him out of the plane with him.

“Shit,” is all he can get out as Conrad joins Daniel in free falling. “Goddamnit! Look at what you did!”

“Me!? Look at what you did! If you hadn’t thrown me outta the plane, I wouldn’t have fucking taken you with me!” Daniel barks back. They grab onto each other wherever they can get a hold, clamoring up one another.

“Are you kidding me? If you hadn’t engineered up this fucked-up heist in the first place, none of this would have happened!” Conrad looks up at him, brow furrowed. Daniel's feet are wrapped around his torso and his hands around his neck and shoulder. Conrad continues, “and why the hell are you steel? Are you daft?”

“Fuck you!” is all Daniel retorts as he changes back to flesh and bone. 

Conrad jeers, trying to pull Daniel's legs off him. “You really are daft! The only reason I threw you out was because you can change what you’re fucking made of. Like… I dunno, _cloth_ to make yourself into your own parachute?”

Daniel’s eyes go wide. _I really am an idiot_ , he thinks. “Wha— Well, why didn’t you fucking say that shit earlier!?” He wraps his feet back around Conrad and commands, “Hold onto my hands!”

Complying, Conrad holds his tongue until after Daniel finishes morphing into fabric. “I figured you wouldn’t be stupid enough to let yourself die!” He wraps his hands around Daniel's very pliable arms a few times, not wanting to chance letting go.

Daniel scoffs, “right! Because we can all be calm, cool and collected under pressure like Peace-motherfucking-bringer.” The ground is getting closer and they both move together without talking about it. Conrad shifts his hold on Daniel.

“Just land us safely and we’ll go our own fucking way, asshole.” Conrad snarks back with less energy.

Daniel feels the vigor leave him as well, but he’s still just as pissed. “You’re the fucking asshole, asshole! Anyway, why I should I be saving your ass after you almost killed me?”

“Because if you don’t, Cisco is going to be sad.”

Daniel sucks in a short breath. “NO! You don't fucking get to pull that shit on me! Absolutely not!” He rages, “how dare you! We had an agreement. You said you’d never fucking bring him into … into this!”

Conrad heaves a sigh. “Kind of the only way to ensure my own safety right now, isn’t it? It’s not like I’m stopping you from doing vile acts by using it.”

“Of course it is, moron! You're stopping me from letting you fall from that fucking plane without a parachute!”

Daniel can sense the mockery he knows is accompanying Conrad’s words. “Says the man who saved my ass after pulling me out of the plane! Instead of climbing on me, you could have let me plummet.” Conrad’s feet hit the rocky soil beneath them. They are out in the middle of nowhere and neither of them really have powers of travel.

Daniel flutters to the ground before mutating back to his human form. He stalks off in whichever way Conrad isn’t facing.

“Daniel! Can you morph into a car?”

“I can only fucking morph into one material at a time, idiot! And even if I could, I’d leave your ass here after what you did!” He calls back with a finger thrown over his shoulder.


	4. Pettiness

4:19 APM July 5th, 2019

> **Cis** **co -hombre:**What did u do?
> 
> **Daniel:** _What u talkin’ bout_  
>    
>  **Cisco-hombre:** Conrad
> 
> **Daniel:** _Didn’t do shit_  
>    
>  **Cisco-hombre:** Liar  
>  **Cisco-hombre:** U should apologize
> 
> **Daniel:** _Apologize for what!?_  
>  **Daniel:** _I didn’t do shit_  
>    
>  **Cisco-hombre:** Y don’t I believe u?  
>  **Cisco-hombre:** Both u didn’t show 4 party
> 
> **Daniel:** _Sounds like a personal problem_  
>  **Daniel:** _Maybe u should ask him_  
>  4:31 PM via Google Fi

Daniel types furiously, hits send, and shoves his phone in his pocket. It vibrates before he can pull his hand away. “Fuck me.”

> **Cisco-hombre:** U totally did smth
> 
> **Daniel:** _Did not_  
>  **Daniel:** _He did it_  
>    
>  **Cisco-hombre:** What?  
>  **Cisco-hombre:** He did what?
> 
> **Daniel:** _Y the fuck u askin me_  
>  **Daniel:** _Ask him_  
>  **Daniel:** _fool_  
>  4:35 PM via Google Fi

“Leave me the fuck alone,” Daniel gripes in irritation as he puts his phone out again after he just put it back into it’s pocket.

> **Cisco-hombre:** Meet @ mine 5.30 7th sun
> 
> **Daniel:** _No_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** Why
> 
> **Daniel:** _Dont feel like it_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** 2 bad
> 
> **Daniel:** _Asshole_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** Dick  
>  4:40 PM via Google Fi

* * *

5:42 AM July 7th, 2019

“Why the fuck is he here?” Daniel stops as he enters Cisco’s living room, boring a hole through Conrad as if he had heat vision.

Conrad’s back is turned and at hearing Daniel's voice, and he goes ridgid. Turning, he looks only at Cisco. “I would like to know, as well.”

“You’re both here because you’re both my friends. And if you were any decent friends, you would nut up and handle it like a man.” Cisco waves it off and plops on the couch. Conrad sits next to him and Daniel throws his jacket across one of the side chairs before plunking down, clearly staying away from Conrad.

“Maybe I’m offended by that.” Daniel quips back.

Conrad scoffs at him. “How the fuck could you be offended by that?”

He shrugs, “Maybe I don’t want to be a man?”

“Hold up. No.” Cisco looks at Conrad first, “he’s joking.” He then looks to Daniel, “and it was a terrible fucking joke. Don’t joke about shit like that, man. It’s rude to people who are actually trying to come out.”

Conrad waves it off, “maybe he is.”

“Maybe you are, fuckwad,” Daniel snips back.

“ALRIGHT! I don’t know what the fuck happened between you two, but I obviously was wrong. I’m sorry for trying to make you get along. I thought you two had a lot in common and if you guys just talked about it, everything would be resolved.”

Cisco glowers at Daniel. “I wanted you to have more than one friend, jerk. So I dunno what you did, but I’d like if you apologized to Conrad.”

Daniel scoffs. “Excuse me? Why am I the one that has to apologize? Why do you assume it’s my fault and not his?”

“Because when people get mad, it’s usually because you’ve done something.” It’s a jab and Cisco knows it.

Daniel glances away from both of them and crosses his arm while slumping into the recliner sideways, a scowl on his face. “That’s bullshit.”

“It’s not. And you know it.”

“Well, this time you’re wrong!” he cries back.

Conrad decides this is the perfect time to pipe in his own goddamned two cents. “How’s he wrong? You’re the one who started it!”

“Butt out, pipsqueak!” Daniel retorts.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m a head taller than you, jackass!”

“Certainly not in your fucking confidence.”

Cisco stands abruptly and holds a hand out toward them both to get them to stop. “Woah! Okay! Break it up. Now!” The quiet of the room takes over, the only noise coming from their breathing, the clock on the wall ticking aggravatingly, and the car horns and tire squeals from the city outside the brick walls.

“Conrad, exactly what happened?” Cisco asks.

Conrad doesn’t reply.

Cisco looks to him. “Daniel?” No reply.

“Well, fuck! Neither of you wanna tell me what happened? What, y’all got some hidden superpowers you can’t tell anyone about so you have to keep it shoved up your fucking asses? Goddamn. Okay…” Conrad and Daniel stiffen but don’t say anything. Cisco is pacing back and forth between them, fingers at his temples, before continuing. “I need to cool off. You both stay, right the fuck where you are, and I’m going to go pick up pizza. When I come back, we will forget everything that happened in the past, and you two will be civil in each other’s presence for just tonight until I can figure out how I’m going to deal with two of my best friends not able to be in the same room together.”

“Don’t you dare fucking kill each other!” Cisco whips back around at the door, staring at both of them and raising an accusatory finger. When he leaves, the city silence returns.

Daniel is the first to break it by muttering, “why the fuck is it always gotta be my fault?”

“Maybe because you’re always looking to start things.”

“I’m not the fucking one who threw someone outta a goddamn airplane!” Daniel reminds Conrad.

Conrad just shrugs. “Well, I’m not the one who decided it was a good idea to try and steal top secret government equipment, now, am I?”

Daniel runs hands through his hair. “Excuse me for making a goddamn living!”

“Maybe you could make a goddamn living like the rest of us,” Conrad snidely suggests.

“Being a hero don’t pay shit! Don’t think you can lie to me about making a living off that.”

“I never said it did. Perhaps you should look into actually freaking working as a car salesman like you say you do.”

Daniel shifts in his seat to look at Conrad instead of staring toward the door. He can feel his face reflect his emotion as the genuine confusion takes hold. “Why would I fucking do that?”

A brow on Conrad’s face hikes as he looks back at Daniel. “Oh, I dunno. So that way when Cisco comes to your fucking job, your cover doesn’t get blown?”

“It never will get blown, asswipe. I’ve got my alibi rock-solid.”

Conrad waves the excuse out of the air, knowing just how untrue it is. They stay quiet for a few more minutes. Daniel shuffles in his seat, righting himself. He fiddles with the hem at the bottom of his shirt and he watches Conrad take swig of his beer out of the corner of his eye.

“Well, maybe you could find any job that’s not related to crime,” Conrad offers calmly.

Daniel smirks more to himself. “I don’t want any boring ass job. And I certainly don’t want to be working at a bookstore like your broke ass.”

“I’m not broke, dick. Just frugal. I wanna start a business and I need funds to do so.”

“Well, good on you then.” The hem of his shirt would probably appreciate Daniel's attention move elsewhere, but it’s the only thing that keeps him from feeling less awkward, or from just leaving.

To Daniel’s relief, the door to the apartment opens and Cisco walks in with three folded boxes, two pizzas and the third likely breadsticks.

“Good. Doesn’t look like you killed each other. Yet. Pizza, my treat. Now eat, and then make up over how much you guys think Material Morpher and Peacemaker are hot or something.” Cisco plops on the couch and flicks on the TV.

“What?” Scandalized, Daniel and Conrad say in unison while looking directly at Cisco.

“Don’t look at me like that. I know you both have hard-ons for those two. Personally, I think they should get it on. So much tension between them, it’s bound to eventually snap.” He shrugs. “Much like you two, I guess.”

The smirk on Cisco isn’t missed by either of them as he gets up, grabs a beer and sits back down. “Now, who wants to watch the new season of B99?”


	5. Flushed

11:14 AM July 13th, 2019

> **Cisco-hombre:** Mine @ 5pm
> 
> **Daniel:** _Outta state_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** what now?
> 
> **Daniel:** _Outta state_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** Bro, when were you gonna tell me?
> 
> **Daniel:** _Not_
> 
> **Cisco-hombre:** Rude!  
>  **Cisco-hombre:** Tell me when you get back in  
>  **Cisco-hombre:** Gotta hang  
>  11:17 AM via Google Fi

* * *

3:50 PM July 13th, 2019

A knock at the door rouses Daniel from his mid-Saturday slumber on the couch. He cracks one eye open and groans. Sitting up, he rubs a hand down his face, scratches at his beard, yawns, and stretches. Another knock insists and he mumbles out a, “yeah, yeah. Hold your horses, I’m comin’.”

He opens the door and before he can register who it is, Conrad demands to know, “why does Cisco think you’re out of state when you're clearly not?”

Daniel blinks. “What the fuck, man. Why you at my house?” He scratches at his exposed stomach, only dressed in red boxer shorts.

“It’s an apartment, not a house.” Conrad peeks around over his shoulder and adds, “and a dump at that.” Daniel vaguely remembers not having cleaned up his mess of clothes and takeout for at least week.

“A house is a home, and a home is a house. It’s cheap, is what it is. You didn’t answer my question.”

“Funny. For someone stealing shit all the time, I figured you’d have more money. A fancy place with priceless trinkets. Maid service.” Conrad ’s nose crinkles in revulsion at the state of the place.

Daniel shrugs and walks back to his sofa, not bothering to close the door. “Maybe I’m not the only one who’s frugal.”

Taking the invitation for what it is, Daniel listens as Conrad walks past the threshold and shuts the door behind him. “For some reason, I don’t believe you.”

“Whatever,” Daniel sighs into the cushions and leans his head back, shutting his eyes.

“Don’t whatever me. What was Cisco talking about the other night?”

Daniel senses prickle, feeling as though Conrad might be standing directly over him.

“I haven’t hung out with either of you for a week. I don’t know what other night you’re talking about.” He was willing to avoid the subject altogether, rather than admit his initial hots for Peacebringer. _What a ridiculous name_ , he snorts to himself.

“Answer my question,” Conrad’s tone is low and throaty. Daniel feels the room grow a little warmer.

Daniel pops an eyelid open to see Conrad indeed standing between his splayed legs and looking directly down at his face. “I should ask you the same thing.”

“Fine. I— uh, when I first moved here… I told him that I thought Material Morpher—”

“Mutate—” Daniel interrupts.

“—was hot.“

_Well, shit._ Daniel wasn’t expecting Conrad to be so blatantly honest. Conrad’s face betrays no emotion. His eyes just flit back and forth between Daniel, looking for something.

Bewildered, Daniel only lets out an, “Uh—”

“Your turn,” Conrad instructs. Daniel swallows, a lump in his throat. “Your turn to come clean.”

He looks away. “I don’t know what you’re talk about.”

Conrad shifts to the side to stay in view of Daniel eyesight. His brow is raised in silent insistence.

“Fuck.”

“Come clean, and I’ll think about it.”

And _shit,_ that is not at all what Daniel is expecting to hear. The lump in his throat seems thicker and he swallows again, trying to unsuccessfully clear it. He licks his lips and looks down at his hands. “I told Cisco, before I knew who you were, that you had a nice ass.”

When there is no reply, Daniel looks back up at Conrad who seems to be waiting for more. “Oh, come on! Why the fuck are you here if we both already knew that Cisco had told the truth—”

Daniel knows what is happening as he is talking, but his brain isn’t working near as fast after just waking from a nap. Conrad closes the distance between them as Daniel is talking and shoves a bruising kiss across his lips.

Daniel chest floods with a slew of different and conflicting emotions. Blood rushes to his face and his cock, and he _whines_. Conrad places his hands either side of Daniel on the sofa, trapping him as he pulls back from the kiss. He is looking for a reaction, a sign to continue or stop.

Daniel's eyes dart between Conrad’s before uttering, “shit,” and crushing their lips back together. Pushing back, Daniel lifts himself off the sofa and trips them both over the coffee table as he’s trying to get the damned shirt off Conrad’s body.

Curses fill the room and they abandon the broken table, staggering to their feet. Daniel uses the time to shove Conrad’s pants down to his ankles, unsuccessful at taking the underwear with them, too. He’s but a moment to ogle the man in front of him before Conrad steps out of his jeans and crowds him until he’s backed up against a wall.

Tongues twine, and Conrad hikes Daniel’s ass up and against the wall. Daniel's legs lift and wrap around his thick waist and they grind against each other, trying to get as close as possible. Daniel mutters a few curses between their kisses and points toward his bedroom silently as he goes back in for another. Conrad's face turns to look toward the bedroom, though, and Daniel finds jaw instead. He nips at it, tonguing the area and tasting the clean shave. His whole body shudders as he moves his face down to give attention to Conrad’s neck, scratching his skin lightly against the stubble already growing there.

“Goddamnit,” Conrad groans as Daniel bites. He boosts Daniel up around his waist once more and stumbles them both through the bedroom door, all but throwing Daniel on the bed.

He bounces once and quickly hooks a foot through the handle at his bedside table, tugging it open. Daniel's other foot gropes at the tent in Conrad’s boxer briefs, making his breath hitch while Conrad reaches down to find the lube and condoms Daniel was silently locating for him.

He tosses them on the bed and Daniel reaches with his feet, getting them around Conrad’s ass and pulling him unsteadily on top of him. Conrad’s weight comes crashing down, crushing Daniel, but it feels amazing. He grinds up into the warm flesh above him and they lip lock several times while both fumbling to rid themselves of their underwear. Daniel's having issues getting his off with Conrad between his legs.

Once Conrad's successful at stripping his, he pats the bed until he finds the lube and brushes Daniel's hands away from the elastic band of his boxers. He backs up and rips Daniel's troublesome underwear from his now freed legs. Conrad stares for a moment, chest heaving, and Daniel takes his own time to do just the same.

_He’s fucking gorgeous_ , Daniel thinks, not caring one bit about the extra weight heroes tend not to carry. In fact, Daniel is pretty sure that’s part of what makes Conrad so fucking attractive. He’s not like the other egotistical dickwads, with their chiseled abs and stupid hairless bodies. No, Conrad definitely had muscle, alright. But he also had the fat from good meals and lazy weekend mornings. Those always meant more to Daniel than any stupid rigorous gym schedule and diet.

Daniel palms himself and reaches a foot over to help Conrad with his own erection, only Conrad growls and shoves Daniel's foot and hand away. He rests one hand at Daniel’s ass and pops the lid of the lube, letting it dribble out directly where his fingers brush and push against the bundle of nerves there. He doesn’t seem to care if it makes a mess and Daniel’s is pretty sure the sheets need to be washed anyway.

The lube is cold on Daniel’s heated skin and he sucks in a breath, biting his lip after cursing at Conrad for not bothering to warm it up.

Conrad only chuckles darkly in reply and draws forward, crouching and nipping at the skin around Daniel’s stomach. Daniel squirms and pushes toward the fingers massaging his opening. Conrad takes the hint and plunges the first in, moving before Daniel is ready for him to. The lube is plenty, however, and Conrad moves and crooks his finger multiple times in search of the spot tha— _Oh, god._

Daniel’s brows bunch and his mouth hangs open. All that leaves him is a needy groan and interrupted breathing. His hips twitch, chasing Conrad’s finger as it leaves that pleasurable spot, and Daniel bites his bottom lip as Conrad adds another digit.

Daniel thrusts a hand out and forces Conrad’s head down in silent plea. Conrad is paying way too much attention to his belly button and not enough to a throbbing need just south. Willing to release some of his pressure, Conrad licks experimentally at his cock's head and kisses it. An unsightly noise leaks from Daniel and he makes no attempt at shutting it down.

Conrad adds a third finger— no longer looking for that pleasurable zone as much as opening him up— and sucks just the tip of Daniel's dick into his mouth. His tongue swipes at the slit and then flicks back and forth at the skin just at the underside of his sensitive head. Conrad engulfs his cock once and only quickly before popping off and sucking wet kisses down the underside of Daniel's shaft.

He keeps his mouth moving south until he's suckling at one of Daniel’s balls. Daniel's hips sway side to side and he lifts them up just before heading back the other way, grinding and fucking himself on Conrad's fingers. He doesn't think he's been quiet for a while now, only vaguely aware of the sounds he's making. 

Conrad withdraws his fingers and his mouth. Daniel's skin prickles at the loss of warmth around his groin, and he snarls like the animal he is. Feeling the flush in his chest and face and the throbbing of his blood in his cock and ass, Daniel takes the break to gather his senses and simmer down.

Condom on, Conrad lines up and looks to Daniel to make sure he’s ready. Daniel shakes his head and rushes forward, gripping Conrad’s shoulders and flinging him to the bed on his back. He climbs over Conrad's waist, leans down, and captures swollen lips with his. He uses one hand to pry Conrad's mouth open by the chin and lick once across the roof of his mouth lightly, while he fists Conrad's dick with his other hand and lines him up to his own ass. Daniel leans back and sinks slowly, taking inch by inch, and watches Conrad's face.

“Fuck…” Conrad breathes out between his teeth.

Smirking, Daniel takes hold of his own penis and starts to pull lazily at it, using his precome to ease the action. “We already are.” He lifts his hips and Conrad glints his eyes at him before thrusting up high enough to raise Daniel off the bed, only balancing on his knees. "AH!" He retreats quickly, and thrusts back in while gravity brings Daniel sinking down. “Shit!” Daniel’s hands jump to Conrad’s stomach, trying to keep his balance. He knows this isn’t exactly a safe way of having sex, but it feels fucking amazing and sends bolts of pleasure flying underneath his skin and through his core. “Fuck, no— ugh… GOD-” his breath hitches at another gravity-utilizing thrust, “DAMNIT!”

Conrad's hands reach up and grip his hips, pulling Daniel down to meet his thrusts. Daniel's head is thrown back, no longer capable of forming coherent words. A gutteral sound escapes when Conrad hits his prostate indirectly three times in succession with a force that the two of them both crave. 

Daniel wants to take control. That is the whole point in being on top, and Conrad isn’t letting him even get his words formed together in a sentence. He wants to yell at Conrad to stop so he can take back the reins, but he’s so close, and fuck it feels so good. He manages to grind his hips once, twice even, and his eyes roll back into his head.

Conrad gets the angle just right and his dick slides directly over his prostate, raw and fleeting. Daniel's certain his whimper sounds broken. He’s on the precipice, and, as if in his head, Conrad uses his still lube slicked hand and jacks Daniel off in time with his abusive thrusting.

They are both making noises, now, each chasing their orgasm like it’s life or death. The sound of skin slapping mixes with their fractured cries and the musk of sex is thick in the air. Daniel’s dick pulses, all his energy spilling out in multiple staggered bursts of milky white. His ass convulses around Conrad’s cock, trying to trap his dick from ever leaving him. Conrad retreats almost fully, and, using both hands to clutch tightly at Daniel's hips, rams up harder and more violent than any of his previous thrusts.

He tries to implant his seed deep within, filling the condom instead. He pumps short and deep a few more times and Daniel is pretty sure he feels a lingering spasm of semen seep from his dick at the sensation. His ass flutters and constricts as Conrad tries to slowly pull out, Daniel's body unwilling to let the man leave him.

With a wet squelch Conrad’s dick is freed and Daniel feels both empty and intensely satisfied, though slightly upset they used a condom at all. He moans at the loss and looks down at Conrad’s stomach, his finger spreading his own semen across Conrad's belly in stark contrast. Exhaustion taking hold, he lets his body fall to the side next to Conrad and looks at his face.

“That was,” Conrad heaves out, “divine.”

Daniel laughs tiredly. “You are such a fucking nerd.” He smirks and lets his head up to touch Conrad’s face, mostly his lips. "But that was perhaps the best sex I've ever had."

They both grin at each other.

Conrad looks toward the ceiling. “You know what wouldn’t surprise me after all this?”

“Hmm?”

He looks at Daniel. “If Cisco knew who were really were and set this shit up.”

Daniel can feel the blood draining from his face as his brain gears churn. “Fuck. He did, didn’t he?”

Conrad nods, smiling. “I think he did.” The two laugh, and Daniel shuffles over on the sheets to half lay across Conrad. “We should probably clean up,” Conrad tries to ruin the moment.

Daniel shushes him with a finger to his lips and a peck to Conrad’s shoulder. “Later. Nap first. Clean later.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading Villains Can Win, Too! I hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to leave kudos and comments with your favorite parts, if you feel so inclined. I have included an afterword/epilogue of sorts below about a few loose ends I wanted to address. It is, however, worded more as notes than story, so please excuse me if it's not quite as enticing to read.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Conrad’s powers are controlling one’s Chi flow and an increased resilience, meaning he can take a lot more damage than most (great for rough sex). Controlling chi means that most villains he comes in contact with he can take down rather swiftly when he’s in close combat, which earned him the name Peacebringer.  
>    
>  Daniel’s powers are, as addressed in the story, morphing into one material at a time. He can still talk and move about, but he takes characteristics of the material he mutates into (heavy-metal, flexible/stretchy-fabric, etc).  
>    
>  Cisco knew all along.  
>    
>  Conrad will ask Daniel, eventually, to partner with him in getting a loan for the workshop. Daniel will be head of the classes involving woodworking.  
>    
>  Daniel doesn’t quit being a villain, but now he does it with different motives. There is a lot of sex in alleyways and roof tops with spandex-clad men, because Daniel threatens the only way he’ll stop doing whatever he’s doing is if Conrad complies with him. Conrad is more than happy to, of course. They switch it up all the time, but Daniel's favorite is when he catches Conrad off-guard and takes complete control, or when Conrad manhandles him into no longer being able to think straight.  
>    
>  They move in together— Conrad’s apartment— and Conrad makes Daniel clean up all the time.  
>    
>  Daniel’s extra money from all his heists went to Cisco’s family in Mexico, or to a local orphanage (partly why Cisco knew what was up). Daniel was unofficially adopted as a young boy by Cisco’s parents and he feels he owes them a debt. Their parents moved back to Mexico when all their children were grown and their mother was getting too old to live on her own. Daniel was sending them money, even though he never had to. Once he changed his motives and thus was no longer successful in any of his heists, he stopped sending money. It also had something to do with knowing Cisco's brother was now a Lt. Commander and had plenty of means of supporting them if need be.  
>    
>  Daniel has too much fun egging Conrad into lewd activities, it's unlikely he will ever be converted to hero-namesake, however, he isn't against helping his boyfriend out of tough situations when they arise "by accident."


End file.
